


Now I'm Here

by mercurys_loverboy (FandomStar)



Series: Freddie and Arthel ~ "Canon" [9]
Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Emotions, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, News of the World (Queen) Era, Touring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-13
Updated: 2019-07-13
Packaged: 2020-06-27 13:39:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19792012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomStar/pseuds/mercurys_loverboy
Summary: Queen's leaving date for the European leg of their News of the World tour has been brought forward. Freddie visits Arthel at the record store while he's working to say goodbye before he has to go.





	Now I'm Here

**Author's Note:**

> I KNOW that I got the date for European News of the World tour wrong, and I'm so mad at myself for it, but I can't change it now, otherwise it won't fit with the last chapter of Share This Special Night. But anyway, I hope you enjoy this!

January 10th, The King's Jukebox

With the shop closed for their half hour lunch break, Lottie and Arthel stood on either side of the shop counter, eating. 

"So, what are you going to be up to while Queen are on tour again?" Lottie asked.

"Well, I'm doing quite a lot of my own gigs, mostly at New places, too." Arthel replied.

"If you have a spare night, give me a heads up, I'll take you to some of my haunts." Lottie offered, grinning.

"Sounds fun. I'll take you up on that." Arthel told her, smiling eagerly.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the back entrance door. Arthel and Lottie glanced at each other, eyebrows raised.

"One of your boys?" Lottie suggested.

"Don't know why it would be." Arthel said, going to the back of the shop to see who it was.

When he opened the door, he was greeted by a slightly flustered looking Freddie.

"Ell." he breathed. 

"Freddie." Arthel greeted, staring in surprise.

"Wait, it's Freddie?" Lottie's voice called, as Arthel heard her boots coming down the hall. " _The_ Freddie?"

" _The_ Freddie." Arthel confirmed.

"An introduction?" Freddie asked.

"Right. Freddie, Charlotte Patterson," Arthel said, gesturing between the two of them. "Lottie, this is Freddie Mercury."

Speechlessly, Lottie nodded.

"It's lovely to finally meet you," Freddie told her, smiling. "Arthel talks about you a lot." 

Lottie's change in posture showed her pride.

"He's told me a lot about you, too." she replied.

Freddie laughed.

"All good things, I hope?"

"Absolutely! I could ask the same thing."

"Of course, nothing but good things."

Something clicked in Arthel's mind.

"Shouldn't you be in rehearsals for the tour right now?" he asked Freddie.

"I... actually have an update on the tour. It's why I'm here," Freddie replied, hesitating before telling Arthel, "We're leaving early."

"Early? How early?"

"In four hours."

"Four hours?" Arthel whispered.

Freddie nodded, and his fringe fell into his face slightly.

"I came as soon as Deacy told us," Freddie explained, not bothering to fix his hair. "I wanted to say goodbye properly."

Smiling, Arthel wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's middle and rested his cheek on Freddie's shoulder. Freddie hugged him closer.

"You've not even been back for a month." Arthel murmured against Freddie's jacket.

Gently, Freddie rested his head on Arthel's.

"I know," he whispered. "It's the price I pay. I'm sorry, my dear."

Arthel straightened up.

"Don't apologise. This is your life," he softly said. "If I had my way, it'd be mine, too."

Freddie chuckled with a smile.

"Arthel Jenkins, your day will come!" he announced, grinning, before becoming a little more sombre and pressing a palm to his partner's cheek. "I'm going to miss you."

Holding his wrist, Arthel gazed into Freddie's eyes.

"I'll miss you, too." he gently replied.

The couple carefully leaned into each other and kissed. Slowly, their lips caressed each other, as though trying to memorize the sensation.

"I love you, Freddie." Arthel told his boyfriend, quietly, tracing his jawline with a finger.

"I love you, too, Ell," Freddie replied, catching Arthel's hand with his own. "Now, darling, before I forget..."

He pulled a key from his pocket and placed it precisely in Arthel's hand. A little taken aback, Arthel raised his eyebrows.

"Is this...?" he began, before being interrupted.

"A key to my flat? Yes," Freddie finished for him, before explaining, "You're one of the very few people that Romeo actually likes, so I'm putting you in charge of looking after the cat's while I'm away."

"Wouldn't it be easier for Mary to do that?" 

"Arthel, that-" Freddie tapped the key. "-is a very special thing. I wouldn't give it to just anyone," he told Arthel, giving him time to process the significance of what he'd just said. "It's yours, my love. Do whatever you want with it."

Wide-eyed, Arthel stated at Freddie.

"Oh," he breathed, before hugging Freddie tightly. "Thank you."

After spending a long moment in each other's embrace, Arthel separated himself to look at his watch. 

"I need to go." he said, reluctantly.

"So do I." Freddie replied, smiling a little sadly. 

He pressed a lingering kiss to Arthel's mouth.

"Have fun, and be safe." Arthel told him.

Freddie grinned.

"The same to you," he said. "I love you, Arthel."

"I love you, too, Freddie." Arthel replied.

He watched Freddie walk away.

When he was out of sight, Arthel gazed down at the key in his hand and smiled at the feeling of being trusted by Freddie so much.

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from the song Now I'm Here by Queen.


End file.
